Means for preventing the stretching of flexible armor for electric conductors



F. w KULICKE 1,324,904 MEANS FOR PREVENTING THE STRETCHING OF FLEXIBLE ARMOR FOR ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS Filed April 6. 1928 Sept. 29, 1931.

Patented Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT [OFFICE FREDERICK W. KULICKE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, LSSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE ELEC'IBOLOCK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI, A CORPORATION OF MISSISSIPPI ams r03, PREVENTING THE srnn'rcnmc or FLEXIBLE moi; FOR ELECTRIC connuc'rons Application fled April 6,

In ignition systems, articnlarly the ignition systems for automobiles and the like, it is quite common to pro'tectcertain of the electric conducting means by means of flexible armor. For example, the flexible conductor between the lock switch means which may be mounted upon the dash-board of anautomobile and the timer distributor may be protected by means of a flexible coil constituting an armor therefor. I have chosen to illustrate my invention as applied to a flexible armor employed for the protection of a conductor v extending between the switch casing and a timer distributor.

It has been found that without the presence of means to prevent the stretching of flexible cables workmen are apt to and frequently do take hold of the flexible coil and inadvertently or for some other reason exert m a. pull thereon which results in a stretching action thereof, after which not infrequently it is found that the conductor either hasbeen broken or otherwise disconnected.

The general object of the present invention is to provide means in association with aflexible coil and the conductor armored thereby whereby pulling upon the coil will not result in the stretching thereof and breakage or disruption of the conductor inclosed there by is prevented.

It also is an object of the invention to provide within a coil of wire, constituting a which I have shown one form of embodiment of the invention. However, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to the details of construction as illustrated and that changes in the construction may be made within the scope of-the claims without desmall pulling or stretching force.

1928. Serial No. 268,048.

parting from the invention or the principle thereo In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view showing in longitudinal section a flexible wire coil constituting an armor for a conductor, the said conductor and the means for preventing stretching of the said coil bein shown in elevation and the opposite ends of t e coil and of the said means having rigid permanent connection with a switch lock casing and with a timer distributor; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings I have shown at 1 the easing of a switch by means of which the circuit of the ignition system may be controlled in any known manner. A flexible electric conductor 2 is connected at one end to the said casing as indicated at 3 and at its opposite end to a timer distributor 4 as indicated at 5. The conductor is rotected by means of a flexible armor 6 conslsting of a coiled wire as shown, which armor extends practically from end to end of the conductor 2 and is secured at its opposite ends in sleeves orthimbles8 and 9,the former being secured permanently to the casing 1 and the latter to the casing of the timer distributor 4. The outer ends of these sleeves or thimbles 8 and 9 are crimped or bent in wardly as indicated at 10 and 11 so as to clamp against the armor 6 at points near the opposite ends thereof and hold the same permanently in place. Without the presence of some means to prevent stretching of the armor coil it will be apparent that upon applying pullin or stretching force thereto it may be stretc ed and that such force therefore is transmitted to the conductor 2 (which comprises a wire of very small diameter) which is capable of withstanding a relatively It will be seen, therefore, that any stretching of the armor 6 is very liable to cause breakage or disruption of the conductor 2.

The means employed by me for preventing stretching of the coil consists of a flexible wire 12 located within the armor coil-6 and havin its opposite ends bent around and overlylng a number of the coils at the opposite ends of the said armor coil, as indicated I at 13 and 14. The portions 13 and 14, which are'located upon the outside of the adjoining spirals of the coil, are positioned between the thimbles or sleeves 8 and 9 and adjoining end portions of the coil. These end portions 13 and 14 are clamped by the thimbles or sleeves 8 and 9 and held tightly against .the adjoining opposite end portions of the armor coil 6. The wire 12 being .of substantially the same length as the armor'6 and the opposite ends thereof being anchored within the thimbles or sleeves 8 and 9 it is-obvious that a pull upon the armor does not result in the stretching thereof unless the wire 12 should yield. The wirej12 should be of small gage, say onethirty-second of an inch in diameter, but at the same time-it must be strong. For example, a piano wire may be employed and it has been found that such a wirewillwithstand a pulling tension of upwards of two hundred pounds. 4

. My invention is of especial utility when employed in connection with conductors. provided with flexible armors as shown in United States Letters Patent No. 1,631,267, dated June 7, 1927. It will be understood, how ever, as has been indicated already, that the invention is not limited to flexible armors for the protection of conductors between a switch casing and a timer distributor as illustrated,

' but may be employed in connection with a.

flexible armor of the character illustrated wherever the same may be employed for the protection ofan electric conductor which is liable to become broken upon the application of a pulling or stretchingforce thereto.

I claim and The invention is of further value and utility than heretofore has been indicated in that by its prevention ofthe stretching of the coil constituting the armor 6 access to. the conductor is prevented whereby the deliberate severing of the latter cannot be effected.

Having thus described my invention, what t desire to secure by'Letters Paten 1s:

1. The combination of an"electricconduc-.

tor, a flexible armor forprotectingisaid conductor, flexible non-stretchable means'asso-v ciated with the said armor and conductor,

and means for inclosing and permanently le means.

anchoring the opgosite ends of the 2. The combination of an electric conductor, a flexible armor ofcoiled wir'e inclosing said'conduc'tor for protecting the same, the

said armor surrounding the said conductor, a flexible non-stretchable means located 3. In means for preventing the stretching of flexible armor for electric conductors, the combination of acoil ofwire extendingaround a conductor and constituting a flexible armor therefor, means for permanently anchoring and holding the opposite ends of the Y said armor and a wire located inside of the i said flexible armor,the opposite ends ofsaid wire being bent outwardly and extended in I into which the opposite ends of the said ar-o mor project and to which they are secured, the opposite ends of the said conductor also extending into the said thimbles, and a. flexible wire located within the said armor, the

opposite ends of said wire being bent outwardl'y and extended in reverse direction outside of the adjoining end portions of the said armor and being clamped between the said adjoining end portions and thesaid thimbles. I v

5. In means for preventing the stretching of a flexible armor for' electric conductors,

the combination of an electric current'conducting wire, a coiledwire extending around the said conducting. wireand constituting an armor therefor, the said armor being stretchable, members having openings into which the opposite ends of the said conducting wire and the said armor. extend,'a flexible non-stretchable wire located within the said armor and having its opposite ends interlocked with'the opposite ends of the said armor, and means whereby the opposite endsof the said armor and the said non-stretchable wire are held permanentl withiuthe said openings and in interloc ed relation with eachother. I 1

In-testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I-have hereunto signed my I name this'2nd'day of April, 1928. u 1

FREDERICK W. KULICKE.

within the said armor, and means vfor inclosing and holding the adjoining ends of the said non-stretchable means and the 831d armor permanently connected with permanently. anchoring the saidinon-stretchable 

